Golf shop teed up for Fortrose club
Planning permission has been given to Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club to build a golf shop and offices for its professional and secretary next to the clubhouse.
The single storey building will be of contemporary design with a mono pitched roof, and gables and frontage to the course clad in timber.
The site is located to the east of the existing clubhouse and includes part of the first tee. To the north lies the club car park.
There were no objections or representations from the public, and Highland Council took the approval decision under delegated powers.
The site lies within the Special Landscape Area of Sutors of Cromarty, Rosemarkie and Fort George.
The planners stated: “The contemporary design, scale and massing of the proposed building is considered to complement rather than compete with that
of the existing clubhouse building. The modest scale of the development will have no significant impact on the wider landscape qualities of the Special Landscape Area.”
The council’s transport planning team confirmed that no additional parking provision will be required, but warned that given the location of the site there could be a direct impact on the existing car parking space during construction.
It was agreed a condition is added to the planning permission requiring the submission of a construction management plan to ensure that suitable alternative arrangements are made to avoid parking on the public road.
The club’s championship links course claims to be 15th oldest recorded club in the world, dating back to 1793. The course was later redesigned by the five time Open Champion James Braid in 1932.
There is documentary evidence of golf being played over ‘Chanonry’ which is now called Fortrose dating back to 1702. It was contained in a letter from a Mr George MacKenzie of Balconie, a cousin of the Earl of Seaforth and provost of Fortrose. The club remains a must-visit for many.
